File with gradients causing banding

[Signs91723]

A customer supplied artwork with gradients that have Pantones. The gradient goes from a solid Pantone to a Pantone with 25% opacity. The issue is that there is some banding in the print. The file cannot be altered much as the client has already approved the proof. I have already tried to rasterize the vectors to see if this helps although the color will be a bit more off as there is originally Pantones.

Adobe has a few recommendations in this link below.

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/printing-gradients-meshes-color-blends.html

We are crunched on time trying to get this printed by tomorrow and I'm hoping for a quicker fix. The suggestions in the link seem pretty time consuming and I don't completely understand them. Some other articles have suggested making mesh gradients as they are smoother. This would mean I'd have to recreate everything and I'm not sure it would even help at that. Does anybody have any advice? I'd really appreciate it.

Software:
- Adobe Illustrator CC
- Onyx Thrive

Equipment:
- Roland TrueVIS VG2-640

 

[weyandsign]

The banding is opposite direction of the gradient. I don't believe the artwork is the issue.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Try converting the Pantone spot color to whatever color space the file is in; RGB/CMYK. Pantones and gradients don't work well together a lot of the time, especially with transparencies.

 

[Signs91723]

The banding is opposite direction of the gradient. I don't believe the artwork is the issue.

I believe we have some issues with the printer or material. But there is also banding in the direction of the gradients.

 

[BigNate]

Make sure almost all, if not all, nozzles are firing, make a fresh calibration and then try again.... greys are tricky if the hardware is not perfect.

 

[Mike Paul]

Rasterize it may help.
Hit or miss sometimes…

Use a higher print setting helps eliminate banding.

If not add photoshop noise filter will help eliminate some banding too.

 

[Fechin]

Gradients, fades, opacity effects, color effects(multiply, etc), all I find rip and print better if they are rasterized first. I don't think the RIP software likes vectors changing their colors

 

[victor bogdanov]

Make sure when rasterized the file is 16 bit or 32 bit and that your RIP is set to 16 bit processing. Produces better gradients than 8 bit.

 

[rvolkers]

i would try 2 things!
1. save a pdf and then try to print again
2. Open it up in photo shop and save as a hi res tiff - start with 300!

also double check your color settings in the document - even if it is pms make sure (spot Color) is selected and also try cymk rather than spot?